The Personal Trainer Scam

Discussion in 'Driver Health' started by TripleSix, Sep 28, 2024.

  1. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    I started in the gym when I was a teen to strengthen a bad back. 20 years ago, I was a competitive power lifter and personal trainer. One of the things that really irks me is when I see a trainer bringing a new person in the gym and doing one of those fruity workouts on their color coordinated machines. They’re wasting your time.

    If you have fitness goals and hired a personal trainer, you want the best bang for your buck, correct? The most effective area of the gym is the dumbbell rack. if your trainer isn’t taking you to the dumbbell rack FIRST, he’s stealing from you.

    “Why do you say that, Six?”

    The major difference between free weights and machines is that the machines stabilize the weight for you. The way that the human body is made, if you cannot stabilize the weight, you cannot lift it. When lifting free weights, the first thing that goes, isn’t your strength, it’s your ability to stabilize the weight. So, what I am saying is, when you start lifting, start with the dumbbell because the dumbbells are the hardest to stabile, thus are the most effective for you to reach your fitness goals. Start with the dumbbells, then hit the barbells and finish with the machines after your stabilizer muscles have fatigued. Should be a simple concept to understand.

    So, if you are paying a personal trainer to help you to reach your fitness goals, if he takes you to the machines FIRST, fire him.
     
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  3. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    I quit my personal trainer within a minute. She did some moves.. bent down back straight, touched her toes.. workout pants to tight.. i told her we both wasting our time, i’d have to undo my belt and button on britches, or i’d bust the ### out and we’d both be in trouble.
     
  4. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    There's a reason "old man strength" is a thing. The fellows who work hard for a living have that. Its because real work is never in the optimal position to lift with correct form or range of motion.
     
  5. hope not dumb twucker

    hope not dumb twucker Road Train Member

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    Can’t teach working man muscles they earned with blood sweat beers and tears.
     
  6. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    A guy can work out on one of those chest press machines and build himself up to 300 lbs. But because he’s never built the stabilizer muscles, he won’t be able to dumbbell press the 70lb pair.

    BTW, did you know that Planet Fitness has no barbells and the biggest dumbbells are the 70s? No heavy shrugs, no power cleans, no deadlifts, no squats, no benching…all in the name of making absolutely sure that the people who are satisfied with a wimpy workout don’t feel bad or intimidated.


    Even so, you can still make your workout tougher with limited equipment. How so? The stabilizer muscles. Which is easier…doing dumbbell shoulder presses sitting on a bench or standing? Standing is much tougher because it requires more stability. Opt for the tougher workout.
    Chest presses, instead of doing them or a flat bench or incline, do them on one of those workout balls. The ball requires more stability. Feet together or one foot on the ground only. The better your stability, the more real world “old man strength” you will have to use in every day life. AND the faster you reach your goal. Might get you kicked out of Planet Fruity but what the heck.
     
  7. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Yup. Absolutely. I call it ‘working muscle’ .

    Her kid is 35, big lad. Started working out with his buddy, I was listening to their routine at the gym. Had my thoughts but said nothing till he started injuring himself.

    Best thing he did was get hired on in the lumber department at Lowe’s. Nothing better for stability and endurance than lugging and loading lumber.

    Played tennis with him a couple of months back - for some light cardio. He didn’t ask again to do that.

    I noticed some of the stronger guys I meet are older mechanics. Something about being stuck in awkward positions and having to heave on stuff till it’s done.

    Weights you can drop - transmissions you can’t, specially if you’re under them :)
     
  8. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    952ab7.jpg
     
  9. Lav-25

    Lav-25 Medium Load Member

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    Or toss bales of hay for summer or two ....
     
  10. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    Or swing an axe.
     
  11. silverspur

    silverspur Road Train Member

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    I practically lived in gyms from 1980-84.
    They were the working man's country club back in the day. Leaving their cares at the door, people (mostly men) striving to improve themselves and encourage each other to become better. Lots of fun and laughter, inspirational quotes on the wall .

    George Eiferman gave me a card with a quote on it when I trained in his Las Vegas gym:

    Figure it out for yourself my lad
    You've all that the greatest of men have had
    Two arms, two hands , two legs,two eyes
    And a brain to use if you would be wise
    With this equipment they all began
    So start for the top and say I can

    Look them over the wise and the great
    They take their food from a common plate
    And similar knives and forks they use
    With similar laces they tie their shoes
    The world considers them brave & smart
    But you've all they had when they made their start

    You can triumph and come to skill
    You can be great if only you will...

    Courage must come from the soul within
    The man must furnish the will to win!


    Nowadays gyms seem like pickup bars, meat markets with nervous lust filled eyes darting back and forth, staring at each other while they primp and preen in front of the mirrors, eager for a knowing nod of the head to meet in a toilet stall or to drop their leotards behind the juice bar.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2024
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